For some residents of the Ocean Pines community, inaction on part of the board of directors in general are believed to be spawning safety hazards for both the environment and community, as stated at a board meeting.

"I walk my dog every day, twice a day," Ocean Pines resident Louis Frey said. "Last year, six o'clock, I came out and saw a trailer with diesel fuel pouring out of it, it must of lost 30 or 40 gallons."

Frey stated that after contacting the authorities about the incident, the fire department, Maryland State Police and natural resources police all came out to deal with the spill.

"I don't know who paid for all of that, but I assume it was my tax payer dollars," Frey said.

Frey refers to a parking lot found in Ocean Pines where seasonal residents leave property throughout the year, including vehicles, boats and storage containers. Frey believes that, aside from simply being an eyesore for the community, the property poses a severe health risk to children in the area.

"I worked as an elementary school principal for years, and I can tell you the things that kids get into," Frey said. "If a child happens to roll into the mess and get hurt, we'll have a lawsuit on our hands."

Along with the fear of abandoned equipment, local residents also lamented failure to fix damaged fixtures at the yacht club, which some believe can prose a risk of injury to customers.

Resident Tom Janasek complained about a damaged edge to the marble counter top at the club's tiki bar, which has the potential to cause injury.

"If the new counter top can't be ordered, sized and fit before the tiki bar closes, can we have a company come and buff the edge out so it's not a threat to customers?" Janasek asked the general manager. "It's a very sharp edge, and I've seen people run into it."

Ocean Pines general manager Rob Thompson stated that he did not have any current information on the replacement of the counter top.

Along with complaints about safety hazards, the general manager addressed concerns with two properties in violation of community code, located at 3 Bramblewood Drive and 44 Harbormist Circle. The Bramblewood property, in particular, spurred controversy among board members.

"The tarp has come off of the roof and is now hanging down to the ground," secretary Tom Herrick stated. "It's currently a blight on our community."

Herrick went on to make a motion for the board to take action on the property, whose owners are deceased, by sending in employees to manage the home and bring it up to code.

For the Harbormist property, the presence of a boat in the yard is a cause of concern to residents. However, Thompson stated that any actions taken to actively relocate the boat without the owner's permission would be illegal.

"We know that the boat is in violation," Thompson said. "But it is still private property."

In all, residents expressed that, if these issues are not fixed, they can serve as a detriment to the community.

"If I don't get the chance to ask questions," Janasek stated, in response to the board insisting that the public portion of the meeting was not a Q&A, "then they'll never get answered."